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Hanoi has hundreds of cafes — from heritage spots inventing famous Vietnamese drinks to specialty roasters in Tay Ho, sidewalk vendors with cheap iced coffee, hidden gems in Old Quarter alleys, and rooftop spots with city views. Choosing where to coffee in Hanoi is a delicious challenge. This complete best cafes in Hanoi guide for 2026 covers the must-visit cafes by category: heritage, hidden, rooftop, specialty, modern, and budget.

Charming Vietnamese street coffee shop
Hanoi has hundreds of cafes ranging from heritage to modern.

Top 25 Best Cafes in Hanoi

Heritage & Iconic Cafes

1. Cafe Giang (Inventor of Egg Coffee)

  • Address: 39 Nguyen Huu Huan Street, Hoan Kiem.
  • Famous for: Egg coffee (ca phe trung) invented here in 1946.
  • Vibe: Heritage cafe, often crowded.
  • Cost: 35,000-50,000 VND.

2. Cafe Pho Co (Hidden Rooftop Gem)

  • Address: 11 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem.
  • Famous for: Hidden behind shop, rooftop view of Hoan Kiem Lake.
  • Must order: Egg coffee.
  • Find it: Walk through Hang Gai shop, take stairs up.

3. Note Coffee (Sticky Notes Wall)

  • Address: 64 Luong Van Can Street, Hoan Kiem.
  • Famous for: Walls covered in colorful sticky notes from visitors.
  • Vibe: Quirky, photogenic, social.
  • Multiple floors with different themes.

4. Hanoi Social Club (Restored Colonial)

  • Address: 6 Hoi Vu Street, Hoan Kiem.
  • Famous for: Restored French colonial building, expat hangout.
  • Specialty: Western-style coffee + great food.

5. Cafe Lam (Old Quarter Heritage)

  • Address: 60 Nguyen Huu Huan Street.
  • Famous for: 1950s establishment, old Hanoi atmosphere.

Vietnamese Coffee Chains

6. Cong Cafe (Multiple Locations)

  • Vibe: Vietnamese revolution-themed, military-style decor.
  • Famous for: Coconut coffee.
  • Multiple Hanoi locations.

7. Highlands Coffee

  • Vietnam’s biggest chain.
  • Reliable quality.
  • Multiple locations.

8. Trung Nguyen Legend

  • Premium chain.
  • Various branding levels.
  • Multiple Hanoi locations.

9. Phuc Long Coffee & Tea

  • Tea + coffee specialty.
  • Modern feel.

10. The Coffee House

  • Modern Vietnamese chain.
  • WiFi friendly.

Specialty Roasters & Modern Cafes

Modern cafe interior with coffee and laptop
Modern Hanoi cafes attract digital nomads and locals alike.

11. The Workshop (Tay Ho)

  • Address: 27 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho.
  • Famous for: Multi-roaster cafe.
  • Best for: Specialty single-origin coffee.

12. Maison Marou Chocolate & Coffee

  • Vietnamese bean-to-bar chocolate + coffee.
  • Address: 91A Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem.
  • Try: Chocolate-coffee combinations.

13. Tranquil Cafe

  • Address: 5 Nguyen Quang Bich, Hoan Kiem.
  • Famous for: Hidden tucked-away atmosphere.
  • Vibe: Peaceful, Instagram-worthy.

14. Hanoi Specialty Coffee

  • Specialty single-origin focus.
  • Multiple Hanoi locations.

15. The Brilliant Cafe

  • Premium Vietnamese coffee.

Old Quarter Hidden Gems

16. Hidden Gem Coffee Hanoi

  • Address: Old Quarter alleys (search current).
  • Atmospheric tucked-away spaces.

17. The Loft Cafe

  • Address: 31 Hang Trong Street.
  • Rooftop hidden gem.

18. Reading Room Coffee

  • Quiet bookish cafe.
  • Address varies.

19. Train Street Cafes

  • Multiple cafes along train tracks.
  • Watch trains pass while sipping coffee.
  • See our: Train Street guide.

20. Cafe Nhan

  • Old Quarter heritage cafe.
  • Strong, traditional coffee.

Rooftop Cafes

21. Cafe Pho Co (Mentioned Above)

Has rooftop with Hoan Kiem view.

22. Loading T Cafe

  • French Quarter rooftop.
  • Modern Vietnamese.

23. Lounge Cafe Hanoi

  • Rooftop bar/cafe.
  • Sunset views.

Tay Ho (West Lake) Modern Cafes

24. Cuba Cafe

  • Tay Ho expat-friendly.
  • Brazilian-Vietnamese fusion coffee.

25. Sweetwater Cafe

  • Coworking-friendly.
  • Health-conscious menu.

Best Cafes by Category

For Egg Coffee

  1. Cafe Giang (the original).
  2. Cafe Pho Co.
  3. Note Coffee.

For Coconut Coffee

  1. Cong Cafe.
  2. The Workshop.
  3. Most modern cafes.

For Working/WiFi

  1. The Workshop (Tay Ho).
  2. Hanoi Social Club.
  3. The Coffee House.
  4. Coworking cafes in Tay Ho.

For Photos

  1. Note Coffee (sticky notes).
  2. Cafe Pho Co (rooftop view).
  3. Tranquil Cafe (atmospheric).
  4. Hanoi Train Street cafes.

For Date Night

  1. Tranquil Cafe.
  2. Loading T (rooftop).
  3. Hanoi Social Club.
  4. Cafe Pho Co.

For Solo Travelers

  1. Cong Cafe.
  2. Hanoi Social Club.
  3. The Workshop.
  4. Note Coffee.

For Budget

  1. Sidewalk pho shops with coffee.
  2. Highlands Coffee.
  3. Cong Cafe.
  4. The Coffee House.

For Specialty Coffee

  1. The Workshop.
  2. Hanoi Specialty Coffee.
  3. Maison Marou.
  4. The Brilliant Cafe.

For Hidden Vibe

  1. Cafe Pho Co.
  2. Tranquil Cafe.
  3. The Loft Cafe.
  4. Hidden alley spots in Old Quarter.

Sample Cafe Crawl Day

  1. 8:00 AM: Sidewalk pho shop coffee + breakfast.
  2. 9:30 AM: Cafe Giang (egg coffee).
  3. 10:30 AM: Note Coffee (sticky notes photos).
  4. 11:30 AM: Walk to Cafe Pho Co for rooftop view.
  5. 1:00 PM: Lunch break.
  6. 2:00 PM: Hanoi Social Club (restored colonial).
  7. 3:30 PM: Cong Cafe (coconut coffee).
  8. 5:00 PM: Hanoi Train Street cafe.
  9. 7:00 PM: The Workshop (specialty coffee).

Cafe Pricing Guide

Sidewalk & Local

  • Iced coffee with milk: 15,000-25,000 VND.
  • Black coffee: 10,000-20,000 VND.

Mid-Range Heritage

  • Iced coffee with milk: 30,000-60,000 VND.
  • Egg coffee: 35,000-70,000 VND.
  • Special drinks: 40,000-90,000 VND.

Specialty & Premium

  • Pour-over: 60,000-120,000 VND.
  • Espresso drinks: 50,000-100,000 VND.
  • Modern lattes: 50,000-90,000 VND.

Cafe Hours in Hanoi

  • Sidewalk cafes: 5 AM – 10 PM.
  • Heritage cafes: 7 AM – 10 PM.
  • Modern cafes: 7 AM – 11 PM.
  • Specialty cafes: 8 AM – 9 PM.
  • Hotel cafes: 6 AM – 11 PM.
  • Most close 10-11 PM.

How to Order at Vietnamese Cafes

Common Phrases

  • Mot ca phe sua da — One iced coffee with milk.
  • Mot ca phe trung — One egg coffee.
  • Khong duong — No sugar.
  • It duong — Less sugar.
  • Khong sua — No milk.
  • Cam on — Thank you.

Menu Reading

  • Ca phe — Coffee.
  • Sua — Milk.
  • Da — Iced.
  • Den — Black.
  • Trung — Egg.
  • Dua — Coconut.

Cafe Etiquette

  • Settle in for time — not take-away culture.
  • Use both hands when handing money.
  • Tip 5,000-10,000 VND for great service.
  • Be patient if cafe is busy.
  • Photographs encouraged.
  • Don’t bring outside food.
  • Smoking allowed at outdoor cafes (not all).

Cafes by Hanoi District

Old Quarter

Heritage cafes, hidden gems, sidewalk vendors. Most concentrated.

French Quarter

Restored colonial buildings, slower pace.

Tay Ho (West Lake)

Specialty roasters, modern, expat-friendly.

Around Hoan Kiem Lake

Tourist-focused but iconic spots.

Train Street Area

Unique experience cafes.

Hai Ba Trung District

Up-and-coming coffee scene, less touristy.

Best Cafes FAQs

What’s the most famous Hanoi cafe?

Cafe Giang (inventor of egg coffee).

Best for hidden Old Quarter atmosphere?

Cafe Pho Co or Tranquil Cafe.

Where do digital nomads work?

The Workshop, Hanoi Social Club, Tay Ho cafes.

Best for budget travelers?

Sidewalk pho shops or Highlands Coffee.

Best rooftop cafe?

Cafe Pho Co or Loading T.

Best specialty coffee?

The Workshop in Tay Ho.

What time do cafes open?

5-7 AM most cafes. 8 AM for specialty.

Is WiFi free?

Yes — almost all cafes have free WiFi.

Plan Your Cafe Tour

Hanoi’s cafes are the city’s soul. Pair this guide with our coffee culture pillar, egg coffee guide, hidden cafes, and rooftop cafes.